Fire ban
Coastal Fire Centre has issued a fire prohibition banning all Category 2 open fires and fireworks on both public and private land.
Category 2 fires are anything larger than a small campfire. This includes burning yard debris and any type of bonfire. The ban, which came into effect noon Wednesday, May 27, will remain in place until October 16 or when the public is notified otherwise.
This ban applies primarily to areas of Powell River Regional District, as the City of Powell River already prohibits backyard burning outside the months of April and November, said Chief Dan Ouellette of Powell River Fire Rescue. He added that campfires in the city’s campgrounds are permitted until a complete fire ban is called for by the province.
The Coastal Fire Centre, located in Parksville, monitors wildfire risk on the south and central BC coast as well as Vancouver Island, the gulf islands and Haida Gwaii. To make the decision whether to issue a ban, the fire centre takes into account past history, current fire issues and the weather.
Fire centre officials are concerned that forests are becoming tinder dry. Weather on the coast has been dry this spring and according to Environment Canada, that trend is set to continue as the coast heads into an El Niño year, bringing with it high temperatures, little rain and higher risk for wildfires.
Campfires are not prohibited under the ban, but if fires are started they must be kept small, under half a metre by half a metre. The ban also does not prohibit use of camp stoves that use gas, propane or briquettes.
The centre is concerned that fires which are lit are not left unattended or abandoned after they burn down. More than half of the province’s average 2,000 wildfires each year are caused from fires left unattended or not properly extinguished.
The correct way to put out a fire is to pour water and sand on it until it is cool to the touch. That is why the law requires people who light fires to have at least eight litres of water and a small shovel available nearby to properly extinguish the fire. If they do not they could receive a $345-fine.
A safer campfire includes having a firebreak up to one metre around the fire, keeping the fire far away from other flammable materials and never leaving a fire unattended.
If it can be proven that an unattended fire resulted in a larger wildfire, the person responsible could be subjected to a $10,000-fine and be ordered to pay all firefighting and associated costs.
To report a wildfire, readers can call 1.800.663.5555 or *5555 on a cellphone.
